Apparatus for separating slag



w. H. LEWIS APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SLAG Filed. Aug. 5. 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WilliamELewis 2 4' M W. H. LEWIS APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SLAG Oct. 10, 1944.

I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1942 INVENTOR WLZZ/iaJnHLeW/is Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED! STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,360,065 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SLAG William,H. Lewis, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application August 5, 1942, Serial No. 453,627

4 Claims.

' metal is to be delivered to an open hearth fur nace. In processes Where steel has been de phosphorized or desulphurized, it is necessary to separate the slag from the metal after treating it with dephosphorizing or, desulphurizing agents. .Slag can be separated from metalby pouring the slag and metal into a bottom pour ladle having a stoppered opening, discharging the metal from the ladle through the stoppered opening and closing the opening with the stopper before the slag begins to flow from the opening. This procedure, however, requires the use of a ladle provided with a stopper, which is objectionable, due not only to the cost of the stoppers but also because of the tendency of the stoppers to stick at times.

The present invention provides-a non-stoppered bottom pour slag separating ladle which is mounted for tilting in opposite directions from its normal substantially horizontal position, in which it receives molten metal and slag, to two substantially vertical positions, in one of which metal is discharged and in the other of which slag is discharged. The ladle has a receiving opening and a metal discharge opening, both of which are located above the slag line when the ladle is in receiving position. The receiving opening and discharge opening are so arranged that in one vertical position the metal is discharged from the portion of the ladle which is farthest away from the slag line, and in the other vertical position the slag is discharged. The ladie is closed, except for the receiving and metal discharge openings, thereby retaining the heat of the molten metal and slag. Themetal discharge opening does not require the use of a stopper.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate in a somewhat diagrammatic manner a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the slag separating ladle in its normal substantially horizontal position, in which it receives molten slag and metal;

Fig. 1a is a sectional view through'the pouring nozzle and a portion of an end wall of the ladle illustrating the construction of the nozzle, the nozzle discharge opening and the nozzle entrance opening;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the ladle in the substantially vertical position, in which the molten metal is being discharged from the bottom of the slag separating ladle into a casting ladle;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the ladle in another. vertical position, in whichthe slag is being discharged into a slag car; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the ladle shown in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying. drawings, a slag separating ladle 2 is tiltably mounted on a slag car 3 running on tracks 4. The slag car is provided with two bearings 5 and 6 which receive respectively the trunnions l and 8 extending from the sides of the ladle. The ladle also is provided with a lifting trunnion 9 adapted to be engaged by the hooks of a crane, in order to place the ladle on the slag car, remove it therefrom and to tilt it to the two vertical positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The ladle 2 is preferably cylindrical in cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 4, but it may be of any desired cross-section such, for example, as square or rectangular. It is provided-with a receiving opening In in the top of the ladle by means of which molten metal and slag are introduced into the ladle from a runner H; The top l2 of the ladle is closed, except for the receiving opening. The ladle has a metal discharge nozzle l3 at the end l5 of the ladle, the nozzle extending upwardly and being spaced away from the ladle, The nozzle l3 at its upward end has a nozzle discharge opening [4 which is above the slag line IS. The nozzle l3 at its lower end has a nozzle entrance opening I la which is entirely below the slag metal line I611.

The ladle is made in two parts, a lower part I l and an upper part [8 keyed together by keys l9, so that the upper part may be removed after the keys are withdrawn, in order to remove skulls from the lower part of the ladle.

In carrying out the operation of separating slag from metal, the slag and metal are introduced into the ladle from the runner H while the ladle is in its horizontal position shown in Fig. 1. Since the nozzle discharge opening I4 is located above the slag line l6, neither metal nor slag can run out of the ladle, even though no stopper is usedfor closing the discharge opening. The ladle is then tilted to the vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2. This tilting maybe i done by means of a crane having hooks which encharge position, shown ,in Fig. 2, the pouring pouring operation maybe characterized as a true bottom pour operation. In other words, the

metal discharge opening is in thatportion of the ladle which is farthest away from the slagiline 1 16. The method of separating molten slag and j ,metal is therefore applicable even-though the slag is very'fiuid such as is thecase after adesule phurizingroperation in which 'sodaashhas been used. In the present method there is no danger of the molten metal.

the slag is very fluid; Where,however, as in -the present-invention, a true "bottompour'ing is ob tained there is substantially-no tendency'fo'r the I slag to run out with the metal and a very good separation of slag and metal can be obtained;

I In tilting the ladle from the receivingpos'ition, shown in Fig. 1,'to the metal discharge position,

shown in Fig.?2, the ladle istilted ratherrapiw ly although 'o'fcourse not so rapidly as to cause l0.- If the ladle *were tilted very 'slowly 'from the receiving position to the metal discharge position there would bea tendency for the slag to rungout' with the metal'durin-g the slow tilting (became the metal discharge opening 14a would remain only a small distance below the s'lag l ine.

1 However, where the ladle-"israpidly tiltedto the position shown in Fig, 2, the 'metal discharge opening a attains a "position "f-arthestaway from the'slaglinein a short interval s'o that from that time on in pouring" the metal the discharge open- I ing is*spaced away'fromtheslaglineby thefull height of V the molten metal wherebythere: is lit- ;tle, any, tendency for slag to flow-out of' the metal discharge -openingf'during pouring of the metal'i" 'After the metal has been poured :and as "soon a j as slag beginsto appear-at the pouringvnozz'le 13, the "Ia'd'le is 'tilted "to the other ver ticaliposinozzle I3 is at the bottom of the ladle so that the tion for receiving metal and slag to two substantially vertical opposite positions, in one of which metal is discharged and in the other of which slag is discharged, the top of the ladle being 7 closed except for a receiving opening, the receiving openingbeing located in the .top of the ladle adjacent one end of the ladle, the ladle having a 1: metal discharge nozzle located adjacent the top ,of the ladle in the end of the ladle opposite the end to which the receiving opening is adjacent,

* the :discharge nozzle' extending upwardly and g of slag' running out of the metal discharge opening 14a with the metal because the discharge f opening is spaced from the slag by the full height If I the metal discharge- 'opening was located near to,although below, the a slag line there would be danger of sl'ag running out with the metal, particularly in those cases where the slag to splash'out-of the receiving opening I being spaced away from the ladle, the nozzle dis-;

charge opening being above the slag line, the nozzle entrance opening being entirely below' the metal line, the receiving opening being substan tiallylarger than the metaldischarge opening,

"whereby 'when'theladleis tilted to its substantially vertical metal idischarge position the metal discharge open-ingfis adjacent the lowest portion of the ladle. 1

2. 5A slag s'eparating ladle having a wall 'Jformingizazsolidbottom,"said ladle mounted for'tilting Iin opp'osite directions ifrom its normal substantially horizontal position forreceiving metal and slag ito two substantially vertical opposite 'posi- '-ti'ons,'in one'bf which metal is discharged and in Ltheotheri of'iwhich slag'is discharged, the top of the ladle being closed'except fora receiving opening'," the receiving opening being located in thetop Jadlefhavling la metal discharge n'ozzle located adof "the, l'adle adjacent one side :of' the ladle, the

, jacentthetcp otthe ladle 'inthe 's'ide'of the ladle 'opposite the isid'eato which the receiving opening .is adjacent, the discharge 'nozzle e'xtending up- Wardly andbeing spaced away'from the ladlefithe nozzle discharge opening being above the slag line, the 'lnozzl'e entrance opening being entirely Joelow'the metal lin'e,the receiving opening being 'slibsta'ntially "larger. than the metal discharge opening whereby when the ladle is tilted to its 1 substantially vertical metal discharge positionthe ametal discharge'opening is adja'cent the lowest "tion, as shown in F ig. 3; in which the ladle is 1 supported by-thetrunnionzs' and ibea'ring fi; iIn

this position, slag is -discharg'ed into the slag :car

f 2| :through the receiving open'ingilzll.

Reference is 1 made in the claims :to a "slag sep- {ar'atin'g ladle mounted for tilting in! opposite directions from its normal substantially horizontal position for receiving fmeta'land'sl'ag :to 'two substantially vertical positiohsyin one of which -metal .isdischargedan-d in the :other ofxwhich -slag:is discharged. It should be understood that the ladle need not be exactly horizontal'or'exactly vertical but maybe tilted somewhat froma true horizontal position when receiving metal 1 andfslag and may be ,tilte'd somewhat :from a true vertical-position when discharging either metal or:slag. In fact, the positions of the ladle shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are not truly vertical but are inv,cline'dsomewhattojtheiverticah M The invention is not; limited to the preferred --embodiment; but may be, otherwise-embodied or 1 practiced within the scopeiof' the-following claims.

-Ic1aim:- x, g

1'; :A slag separating il'adle having a wall :forming a solid bottom,said'ladIecompriSing a body aportion -=having twofiopposite ends, the'ladle bej ing mounted for tiltingin oppos ite directions 1 from its normal substantially --h0 ZOnt 1posiportion o'f'the ladle. Y i

3. A slag separating ladle having a'wall formtrance opening being "entirely below the metal Lline. 7 a 4:. A -'slag separatingladle having a wall forming 'a solid bottom, said ladle mounted .for. tilting in opposite directions from its normal substan- -tially horizontal position for receiving metal and slag "to two substantially vertical opposite *posi- .tions, in onec'f which metalis discharged :and in :the other of which Is'lag is discharged, the ladle -when" in receiving .position having a "receiving opening locatedin the top of the ladleand above 1 the slag line, the ladle also having a metal discharge nozzle located :adjacent the top of the ladle and extending: upwardly and spaced away lfrom'the ladle, theinozzlef'discharge opening -be 7 ing above the slag.line,the nozzle entrance opening being entirely below the metal line,

- WILLIAM LEWIS;

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,560 ,065. October 10, 19M. WILLIAM H. LEWIS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows Page 1, second column, line 55, before the word "metal" strike out "slag" and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of May, A. D. 1911.5.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

